questions:
why did you chose an i5 processor instead of an i7?
why did you choose a motherboard that is not TUF certified (given it's a nice mobo, just it doesnt come with the "certificate of reliability")
and again why are we choosing Nvidia? i got near-flammed when choosing them before...
other then that i have no quarels with this configuration.

because there's no reason to pay more for an i7 when the rig is meant to be upgraded Q1 2012.

i remember when SLI was becoming the mainstream thing with nvidia gpu's. bad reviews kept coming in regarding power supplies, even though they had nvidia's certification on them. ends up pretty much anyone can get certified if they pay for it. asus makes quality boards, and this one will support ivy with a bios flash.

because fuck amd

I am very grateful for all the help, everyone.

Do you think it would be possible to get a machine for under 500$? I'm pretty broke my options on gear is kinda limited. I was looking at this machine here (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16883227314).

It's pre-built, so I'd avoid lots of headaches, and it has recieved a lot of positive feedback. There is also a shitload of memory too, so I'd be able to get all kinds of stuff downloaded.

My concern is that the hardware would conflict with P99. I know in the past, the eq emulator is was playing (Shards of Dalaya) really bugged out because I was using a dual core processor. I don't know if P99 is the same, but I'd be bummed to get a system together and have the same issues arise.

Again, I really appreciate all the help. I'm not too adept with computers so all of this info is really good stuff.

it will definitely run p99. the only thing i would be wary of is with ibuypower.com pc's is i hear that they generally don't use very good quality components.

there are workarounds for the dual core processor issue. p99 issues are software 99% of the time and not hardware. also 87% of statistics are made up on the spot, but still you get the idea :)

I've decided to build a desktop instead of a laptop and I'm going through Ibuypower.

You have to SELECTIVELY choose your components or yes, you'll get the stock trash. Like for example some "no-name" power supply is the standard on ALL their machines - but you can upgrade to a Coolermaster for just +$20.

They have some fucking **AMAZING** "back to school" sales going on right now.

IF YOU GO THROUGH IBUYPOWER, START WITH THE CHEAPEST SYSTEM AND UPGRADE IT MANUALLY. The PC I've built on their website so far, is about $500 cheaper than ANY equivalent PCs I've looked at due to all of their "back to school" promotions.

Coolermaster is still about as bad as antec though imo

www.xoticpc.com if you want to build a gaming pc and have some cash to throw around. If you're gonna build a computer you might as well make it pretty up to date with hardware otherwise you'll just be spending more money not far down the road to upgrade yet again.

This is true. A friend bought a gaming rig from them but he only customized a few things, such as memory, hard drive, and video card, which were all top notch. The rest of the components were low end, no name, junk. The power supply took a dump and the case with all it's fancy LEDs shorted out.

you've gotta be trolling... some of the PSUs are made by the same manufacturer under the same roof. Also, cooler master PSUs (and cases in particular) are actually quite awesome and as far as PSUs go you should always shop by model number. Antec has made some horrendous PSUs in the past whereas xigmatek (new to PSUs) has made some awesome ones for cheap. It all depends on the model and the individual PSU. Generally you'll want to look for one with a 80%+ bronze efficiency tag (think the silver/gold/plat go up incrementally by 5%).

Usually the better the medal the better the PSU and the less power and heat you'll chew through (excessive power and heat. the %'s are efficiency ratings). You can get a very good antec/xigmatek/corsair or OCZ PSU in the $60-80 that's ~600 watts and bronze efficiency. The amount of wattage you require depends on the hardware in your rig.

i'm trolling because i'm suggesting a good power supply? sorry, no

i prefer seasonic. for $139 you can get a 650w with 54a on 12v. also why spend all that money on a computer when you're only going to protect your hardware with an $80 piece of crap? it's not all about the amperage or wattage. there's a lot going on in that power supply and they're definitely not all equal even in the same price range. as far as the bronze, silver, gold rating thing, see my above post about what should be thought of certifications and ratings.

i used to like pc power & cooling until OCZ bought them and started using bad components, if that tells you anything about what I think of OCZ (or antec) power supplies. it's not blind hatred either. i can show you the corpses.